Detection of acetaldehyde in cold dust clouds

Journal Article · Fri Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163018· OSTI ID:5605616

Matthews, H E; Friberg, P; Irvine, W M

Observations of the 1/sub o1/..-->..0/sub 00/ rotational transitions of A and E state acetaldehyde are reported. The transitions were detected, for the first time in interstellar space, in the cold dust clouds TMC-1 and L134N, and in Sgr B2. This is also the first time acetaldehyde has been found in a dust cloud and is the most complex oxygen-bearing molecule yet known in this environment. We find a column density of 6 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/ in TMC-1, comparable to many other species detected there, and an approximately equal column density in L134N. In the direction of Sgr B2, the CH/sub 3/CHO profile appears to consist of broad emission features from the hot molecular cloud core, together with absorption features resulting from intervening colder material. We also report the possible detection of HC/sub 9/N toward IRC+10/sup 0/216 through its J = 33..-->..32 transition. Implications for cold dust cloud chemistry and excitation are discussed.

• Research Organization: Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, National Research Council of Canada
• OSTI ID: 5605616
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 290:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACETALDEHYDE
ALDEHYDES
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
FUNCTIONS
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
LINE WIDTHS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
RADIAL VELOCITY
ROTATIONAL STATES
SPECTRA
SPECTRAL DENSITY
SPECTRAL FUNCTIONS
VELOCITY